(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector including: a male connector and a female connector which are fit to each other; and a lever rotatably provided to one of the male connector and the female connector.
(2) Description of the Related Art
So far, various types of lever-type connector have been utilized for fitting easily a male connector and a female connector to each other (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-102747).
A so-called lever-type connector includes: a male connector; a female connector which receives the male connector therein so as to fit to the male connector; and a lever rotatably attached to the male connector. The male connector is formed in a box-shape and attaches a packing for maintaining a watertight characteristic between the male connector and the female connector.
The female connector is formed in a box-shape. The lever rotates relative to the male connector so as to let the male and female connectors approach or leave each other. That is, the lever allows the male and female connectors to approach or leave each other so as to fit the male and female connectors to each other or separate the male and female connectors from each other.
However, as for the conventional lever-type connector described above, there has been a tendency that after the male and female connectors fit to each other, in particular, an end part of a housing of the female connector situated in the proximity of the male connector extends, said part also being a central part in the width direction of the housing of the female connector, by resilient restoring force of the packing. Therefore, it has been difficult for the conventional lever-type connector to maintain a watertight characteristic between the male and female connectors.
Moreover, as for the conventional lever-type connector described above, in order that the packing can securely maintain a watertight characteristic between the male and female connectors, it may be a good idea to increase an amount of resilient deformation of the packing upon fitting of the male and female connectors. However, in such a case, operation force required to rotate the lever upon fitting of the male and female connectors becomes stronger, causing the fitting of the connectors to be difficult or resulting in that the packing is turned up by the housing of the female connector and therefore, the packing is unable to maintain watertight characteristic between the male and female connectors.